Generally, the type of fishing reel just described is well-known as a double bearing reel, in which the clutch operating mechanism is provided with a clutch lever supported slidably to the reel body. The clutch lever has at its utmost end an operating portion projecting from the outer surface of the reel body so that the operating portion, when pushed by an angler, disconnects the clutch mechanism to make the spool freely rotatable for casting.
The angler, when intending to cast, at first pushes the operating portion by his finger to disconnect the clutch mechanism and press-contacts the finger onto the outer portion of the spool, i.e., the outermost layer of a fishing line wound on the spool to stop its rotation, and then swings a fishing rod for casting.
The reason for the above is that the spool, unless its rotation is stopped, will continue its free rotation due to its weight, resulting in that a fishing rig, which is kept intentionally at the top of the rod in preparation for casting, falls down on the ground before the rig reaches a desired position in the cast.
The conventional double-bearing reel, however, has the operating portion of the clutch lever positioned apart from the spool so that the angler, when intending to stop the free rotation of the spool by use of his finger, after pushing the operating portion, cannot in a serial motion stop the free rotation of the spool in continuation of the operation of the operating portion. Thus, there is a time difference between the push of the operating portion and the stopping of the spool. As a result, he cannot perform a desired casting due to a shift of the fishing rig.